Screening + Q&A
Ballroom Marfa presented a free screening of Cassandro, The Exótico! with a special appearance from Cassandro; Q&A hosted by Sauvignon Blanca; and DJ set by Tokyo Bois. The film is a unique and intimate portrait of the eponymous lucha libre star who grew up in Juarez, Mexico. The program celebrated Cassandro’s life as a former NWA World Welterweight and UWA World Lightweight Champion, and one of the world’s first openly gay luchador wrestlers.
Director Marie Losier beautifully captures the moving, at times humorous, and always colorful dualities of this legendary figure. After decades of spinning dives and flying uppercuts in the ring, Cassandro, the star of the gender-bending cross-dressing Mexican wrestlers known as the Exóticos, is now ready to share his journey. Cassandro’s story—of an underdog and a queer icon, simultaneously fragile and mighty—is ever more timely as it unfolds on both sides of the Mexican-American border.
Ballroom released a special edition silkscreen poster, designed by Marcel Alcalá, to raise money for the El Paso Community Foundation’s fund for victims of the shooting in El Paso on August 3rd.
Cassandro, el Exótico! was free and open to the public.
Interview
Listen to Marfa Public Radio’s West Texas Talk interview with Cassandro on KRTS 93.5FM or via their online stream.
Poster
Poster designed by Marcel Alcala. All proceeds from poster sales go to Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy.
Images
Acknowledgments
This program is made possible by the generous support of The Brown Foundation, Inc.; City of Marfa; National Endowment for the Arts; Texas Commission on the Arts; Ballroom Marfa Board of Trustees; and Ballroom Marfa members.
